Is it possible to get cording over the ribs under the mammary fold of foobs? I had bilateral 4/23 and have had good range of motion. Then when reaching for something I got a sharp burning/pulling pain. I can see a raised line when I move certain ways and it really hurts! Any ideas?

Do you have expanders in? I still get pain with expanders and at times feels like a rib is dislocated, PS told me he stitches the expanders to muscle and can cause this pain, usually goes away with rest and Iburpofen. Watch for reaching, they want you moving to keep range of motion but it hurts.

I am a 10 year breast cancer survivor, and since undergoing a right breast radical mastectomy, I've been in severe pain daily. I am under the care of a pain management doctor, but I'm still hoping to one day be without post mastectomy pain. I was told by a friend about a nerve block procedure that could possibly stop the pain. I have been taking pain medication for so long. I really want to be able to stop taking pain medication and feel better.

Do you know anything about the nerve block that I mentioned, and where it is available? They don't seem to know anything about it here.

Hodgepodge - yes it's possible to get cording along the ribs. I do not have FOOBs, but I do have cording in multiple places from RADs. One spot is all along my L ribs and even in the back. My PT says that cording can happen anywhere there was nearby trauma or trauma that affected tissue in that area indirectly. IMO, granted no dr, you had trauma and are still undergoing minor trauma w/fills.

Do you have a PT you see? I would definitely bring your pain up to someone on your team.

Cording can take on a few different forms. It can be several cord-like bands or just a single one or two. They can feel like a tight band or 'ropeyness' in the armpit, upper arm, elbow, or even the wrist/thumb. Cording can also be felt on the trunk as well, typically lower than the mastectomy scar or breast, or under the chest pectoral muscle at the junction of the trunk and arm. They typically feel like a tight cord-like structure, quite thin and floss-like in nature, that does not feel it is stretched easily by classic chest and arm stretches. It can limit the range of motion of the arm, or, can just make it tighter in feeling without limiting range."

DonnaW - they reference nerve blocking here, perhaps this is what your friend was talking about?

"Treatment of PMPS includes rehabilitation interventions, medications, and interventional procedures. Stretching and active exercises are used to treat impaired range of motion of the shoulder and strengthen scapular stabilizers, and myofascial techniques are helpful for incisional pain and axillary cording.[4],[19] Pharmacologic interventions are aimed at reducing neuropathic pain (see Table 1 for commonly prescribed medications). Interventional techniques include intercostobrachial nerve blocks and the superficial and deep serratus blocks.[20],[21]Hydrodissection of the pectoralis muscles can alleviate pain after reconstruction."

I finally have some info on my own rib pain! My very experienced PT said it is clearly caused by cording!

The pain is just under my left boob (center) at the junction with the rib cage. The boob fold or shelf area.

She checked me from pinky to thigh, and my cording pain goes from my armpit to my rib, and down to my diaphragm. My thigh was fine.

She could press on my armpit and cause pain in my rib.

I was also really tight in the area below my ribs.

I highly recommend getting a PT who is really experienced in cording.

After a lot of manual stretching, she had me do a stretch lying on my back with my left arm straight out to the side (supported). Then deep breath and hold. Angling my outstretched hand towards the floor (back of hand) increases the stretch.

The horrible pain in my rib was mostly gone the rest of the day. We'll see how I do until the next appointment. Huge relief!!!!

Yay! That's awesome news, OnTarget. Well, not that you have cording BUT that that is the source of your pain and your PT is helping you work through it. Woot. Even though the problem and pain is still there, having a answer sometimes is so very encouraging! I'm so very thankful for my own PT she's amazing. So glad you have an "angel" as well! :)

Thank you Spoonie77! I will give those a try. It's funny... raising my arms straight up when standing is a lot easier than when I'm lying on the floor. When I'm on the floor it really seems to pull and feels like something is going to tear!

Hodgepodge - I know that feeling!!! My PT always said to go super slow, just until there is only a GENTLE stretch, nothing more. When I first started rehab a few weeks after RADs, I could barely move my left arm above shoulder height, despite having done stretches the entire time of RADs and after. That burning feeling and "omg if I move my arm any more it's going to tear" was constantly in my mind. Gradually, over weeks and months, my range of motion got better and the burning/tearing feeling dissipated. Going slow is the way to get there, I'm sure your PT next week will say something similar. Keep us posted on how the appt goes.